PHYSICAL HEALTH & SPORT

PHYSICAL HEALTH & SPORT Steps with RickCO-EDITOR VACANCY

BY RACHEL MITCHELL

If your step count has taken a dip recently and the lack of sunny weather has meant walks are few and far between, then I present to you Rick Bhullar! I have recently been introduced and I am hooked! These low intensity workouts combine step movements and fun music in a way that you won’t even believe how many steps you’ve done at the end. Some of the sessions are as quick as 7 mins for 1000 steps meaning you can fit it easily into a day or there are longer ones that let you get all 10,000 steps. I highly recommend giving it a go if you’re looking to increase your fitness!

Part of our The Crossover COVID-19 awareness project between Physical Health and Mental Health

BY LAUREN MARTIN

Home-schooling and being isolated has brought a lot of stress on people during lockdown. One of the ways I have learnt to cope with this is by exercising. Last lockdown in March I exercised a lot and became really fit, because this lockdown hasn’t given the nice weather like it did before, I have struggled to exercise as much and this has impacted my mental health in the way that I don’t feel as confident in myself anymore. I decided to make a routine and start to get back into it. I have started to run more, do online workouts and walk around 10,000 steps a day when possible. Doing these activities alone is a really good way to clear your head and let everything go however doing it with someone else like a family member or socially distanced with a friend can help you to feel less isolated. Making a routine has really helped me to feel organised. This is helpful however understanding that it’s okay to break this routine is really important. Everybody has days when they feel unmotivated and lazy, it’s important that you never force yourself to exercise and to instead, listen to your body because it knows

best. The right amount of exercise will help clear your mind, keep you motivated and decrease your stress levels. Exercising has helped me take some time away from my school work and because of this it’s taken a huge amount of stress away. This has helped me to focus better and feel more confident with my school work and revision because I’ve been able to go away and come back to it with a completely fresh head. Keeping in a routine has helped my mental health in numerous ways, it has helped me to feel more motivated and happier because I am more energized. It’s also important to understand that you do not have to be exercising every day, for 2 hours, lifting weights and doing 50 press ups, a little exercise a day can help more than people realise. Walking outside for half an hour a day can help relax your mind and help you focus, there is something out there for all ages, no matter the ability. Listen to your body and heal your mind.